


Standing on the Edge of Reality

by BlackSparrows



Series: Larry One Shots [2]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe, Boys Kissing, Falling In Love, First Meetings, Fluff, I took an idea and ran with it, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Love at First Sight, M/M, larry stylinson - Freeform, midnight memories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-02
Updated: 2014-02-02
Packaged: 2018-01-10 23:36:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1165948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackSparrows/pseuds/BlackSparrows
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You're staring." Louis whispers.</p><p>"You are too." Harry whispers back, laughing slightly and Louis laughs too.</p><p>or</p><p>Louis and Harry meet at the top of Tower Bridge. They don't talk about anything serious and end up kissing on the edge. (no one dies)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Standing on the Edge of Reality

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by the Midnight Memories music video (where they are stood on the bridge)
> 
> Thank you to my lovely Betas: a.a | Chloe G. | Kristen Ellison

Everything has led up to this moment: the fall. The fall that will lead to the never-ending silence, taking the feather-haired boy into the next world, the world of peace and painlessness.

The news of the boy's suicide will be hard on his family, they will all be affected in different ways: his mother will pray for his soul, asking Jesus to forgive him for his sins the same way she does every Sunday at prayer. Mother dearest has never been accepting of his _lifestyle,_ practically disowned him once she learned of his true _nature_ , but he still loves her (she is his mother after all).

Then there is his father, the one that left when his sister, Cassie, was born. His father hasn't been a fixed part of his life, they are basically strangers. But then again, his father is much more accepting and has been rather supportive these past 2 years when his mother wasn't. The two of them have bonded, he can imagine his father shedding a few tears for the loss of his blue-eyed boy.

Lastly there is Cassie. His parents are not cruel enough to tell her the truth as to where her beloved brother has disappeared to, she's too young to understand. The blue-eyed boy wonders whether she will even remember him in a few years time, he wonders if she'll be raised to be like his mother (strictly religious) or his father (open and understanding). But more importantly he's concerned about what she'll think of him when she's old enough to know the truth, hopefully she'll understand and forgive him for abandoning her.

Pushing up closer to the edge, fear starts run through the boy. The water below is oddly calm and that just makes terror 10 times worse. Maybe this is a bad idea, he's not truly ready for this and there probably is another way out, one that doesn't evolve the jump. The boy falls back against the bridge's metal structure to stable himself and breathe properly.

A few minutes have passed, the wind blowing through his hair is calming and clears his head. Now thinking clearly the boy has come to a decision: wait for a sign. There are two types of signs to look out for which will determine his fate; one will tell him to get down off the bridge using the same staircase he used to get up, and the other one will tell him to jump.

5 minutes later; the wind that was once calming has now turned on the boy, it's unforgiving and bitter, stinging his hands and face. A seagull landed a meter away from the boy around a minute ago and hasn't stopped moving since; the blasted thing keeps pacing, getting closer to the boy and in truth it's rather threatening. The boy hasn't been a big fan of birds since he got bitten by one when he was 9. Maybe this is the sign, the one that's screaming - _screeching_ \- at him to get the fuck out of here.

The boy loses his nerve and retreats to the door, the same one he came through earlier when he was climbing out onto the edge. He enters the structure, collapsing on the floor of the inside, with his back against the wall and breathing raggedly. He pulls his knees up and hugs them as his head falls to hide his face, the boy is extremely tense and sleep seems like a good idea right now.

After a long pause the boy finally allows himself to relax a little bit. " _Fuck_." He breathes out into the emptiness. "Fucking stupid birds." He complains, but in truth there is no heat behind it. Truthfully, the boy is thankful that the bird had shown up because it made him back out and now he can breathe knowing the sky isn't judging him - well at least not to his face.

"Is that why you didn't take the jump?" A soft voice comes from the darkness, startling the boy and making him panic; he thought he was alone. _What the hell?_ "You didn't take the jump because of the seagull?" The voice continues. It's not pitch black but it's dark enough that the feather-haired boy can only make out the silhouette of the taller man of whom the voice belongs to. He's stood back up now in a fighting stance, ready to protect himself if need be. "Jeremy is harmless... and so am I, please stop worrying."

A light is turned on and the feather-haired boy can now see the other man now - not man, but boy. He's rather beautiful: untameable curly hair, bright green eyes and dimples deep enough to lose yourself in. He's tall and broad, standing with his back straight and booted feet pointing towards each other.

"Jeremy? You've named that wretched thing?" The blue-eyed boy asks. He should be asking ' _who the hell are you?' 'how long have you know I've been up here?_ ' or even _'what the hell are you doing here'_. But no, instead he's engaging in conversation about one of those blasted demon birds.

"Jeremy, is not a _'wretched thing'_." The curly-haired boy retorts, clearly finding this odd situation amusing. "He is adorable and has feelings too, you know." The boy smiles, dimples showing. The lightness of the conversation makes the blue-eyed boy feel lightheaded, safe and he relaxes somewhat; he feels as if this boy would never even think of putting him in harms way.

"Whatever." The blue-eyed boy rolls his eyes. Considering he's only just met this boy and knows nothing about him, not even his name, he feels like he's known the boy his whole life. The blue-eyed boy sighs "Louis Tomlinson." Louis states as he extends his right hand for the other boy to take, despite the situation manners are still important.

The other boy looks slightly taken back but takes Louis's hand anyway. "Harry Styles." Harry says, shaking Louis' hand. They both ignore the slight tingle that is present where their hands meet; putting it off as nerves, because honestly, meeting a stranger at the top Tower Bridge is a strange and unnerving experience.

"Right, Harry. Now that introductions are out of the way do you mind telling me what the hell you are doing up here?" Louis asks, wondering if maybe he came across as aggressive and immediately regretting how he put forward the question. The last thing he wanted to do was upset the green-eyed boy - and wow his eyes really are beautiful.

Harry raises one eyebrow, again amused. "Well Louis, this -" Harry says, gesturing to the surrounding area. Louis' eyes scan the room: a family photo and 6 books neatly arranged on a coffee table besides a plain black recliner armchair ( _how did they even get up here?_ ), 2 overhead lights and few items of food and drink. "- is my secret hideout... Well guess it's not a secret anymore... It's the place I come to whenever I feel like escaping." But to Louis, Harry didn't seem like someone who would need to escape, he seemed far too composed and carefree. "I also come here when I feel like jumping from the bridge too." He added as an afterthought. "I'm guessing that's why you're here?"

Louis is shocked. Harry's gorgeous, well dressed, well-spoken and obviously comes from a wealthy family that love him unconditionally ( _how could they not?)._ "There's no way _you_ are -" Louis starts, but he cuts himself off because _what the hell!? He can't just assume gorgeous boys don't feel like that too. Besides he knows nothing about this boy and his life; also that came out without even his brain's permission._

"Oh my gosh! I didn't mean - it's just you're so - well I don't even know if I'm aloud to say _that -_ but really you are and it's just a shock, you know? Because you really are and _wow_..." Louis begins rambling, starting multiple sentences without finishing them. "I'm probably sounding like an idiot so I'll just shut up." Louis presses his lips together hoping his brain will get the message and stop talking.

But then Harry beams at him and starts laughing, muffled at first - trying to be hidden, but then loud and uncontrollable. His laugh is booming around the entire room and it is contagious. Louis joins in too, even if he doesn't know why they are laughing.

Once the two boys calm down they make a silent agreement and exit the room, walking back out on to the edge of the bridge and sit with their feet dangling over the edge. Unlike earlier when Louis had been out here on his own, he felt safe and strangely important, as if nothing could hurt him. Harry is still beaming at him; it should be unsettling but it isn't. Instead it is comforting and feels like home - as if it belongs.

"You're staring." Louis whispers. The two both have their heads turned to look at each other. Louis is watching Harry's face, trying to commit every freckle and cringle to memory, the green-eyed boy is truly beautiful. Of course all of this Louis understands, but he is unsure as to why Harry is also staring back at Louis. Maybe Harry is looking for some sign that Louis feels uncomfortable or still considering jumping over the edge.

"You are too." Harry whispers back, laughing slightly and Louis laughs too. "Sorry, it's just you're so... adorable and just... perfect." Harry mumbles his eyes flickering between Louis' eyes and lips a few times before he looks away. _Interesting_ Louis thinks.

"Harry?" Louis nudges his shoulder against the other boy's.

"Yeah." Harry replies confidently, turning to look back at the blue-eyed boy. "Yeah?" He shyly whispers again, this time looking directly in Louis' eyes.

"How old are you?"

"17.. What about you?"

"19."

"Oh.. I'm taller." Harry jokes. "Why do you want to know?"

"Can I kiss you?" Louis asks as the answer to Harry's question. Harry doesn't reply, instead he leans in and kisses Louis firmly on the lips. It's starts off slow, cautious and tentative; not entirely sure of each other's boundaries. But then the more it becomes familiar, the more heated it gets and soon their hands join in. Harry's left hand settles on Louis' hip and his right hand finds its way behind Louis' neck to pull him in closer. Whereas Louis' hands don't stay in one place, they constantly explore their way across Harry's broad chest, muscular arms and up his thighs; mapping out the all the dips and contours of the younger boy's body. Harry groans and Louis settles one hand on Harry's stomach, under his shirt and the other in his curls. Harry's curls are by far Louis' favourite.

The two lose themselves in each other until they wobble enough to be reminded of their location: on the edge of Tower Bridge. They pull apart: swollen lips, flushed faces and out of breath.

"We should go inside." Harry chimes, his voice much deeper and broken than before. "I have a recliner, we could -" He offers, starting to stand and hold a hand out for Louis to take.

"Yeah." Louis rushes cutting Harry off. He takes Harry's hand and is pulled up, the pair fall into each other in an accidental tight embrace (not that either of them are complaining). "Yes, please."

 


End file.
